Hamlet FAQ: What is the play within the play in Hamlet? Find out!

Which character says, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark?"
Just how did Claudius manage to gain the throne and not Prince Hamlet?
Why does Horatio say, "I am more an antique Roman than a Dane"?
Who is Corambis?
Is "nunnery" a euphemism for a brothel in Hamlet?
Can you tell me about revenge tragedy as a genre?
In Hamlet's third soliloquy, is it "disprized", or "despised love"?
Does Hamlet appear as a martyr figure (or even Christ figure) in his final scene?
What types of love can be found in Hamlet?
Can you tell me about the blood imagery in Hamlet?
What is the play within Hamlet called?
How does the "poor Yorick" speech fit in with the rest of Hamlet?
How many soliloquies does Hamlet deliver?
In Hamlet's third soliloquy, what is the meaning of the word "slings?"
Where was Hamlet studying before he returned to Denmark?
Do you pronounce the "s" in Fortinbras?
How would you describe the revenge code in the play?
How does Queen Gertrude die?

Just how did Claudius manage to gain the throne and not Prince Hamlet?
Exactly why Claudius succeeded Hamlet's father is not explained. Hamlet does refer to "the election", indicating that the new king has been chosen by his noblemen. This appears to be the case because the King of Norway is also succeeded by his brother, rather than Fortinbras, his son. We see this again in Scotland, when Macbeth is elected king. It could also be that Denmark practiced matrilineal descent, and Claudius became king simply because he married the queen.

Why does Horatio say "I am more an antique Roman than a Dane"?
Knowing that Hamlet is about to die from a wound sustained by Laertes poisoned sword, Horatio attempts to drink the wine King Claudius has poisoned moments earlier. Horatio says:

Never believe it:
I am more an antique Roman than a Dane:
Here's yet some liquor left. (5.2.353)

Horatio is likely referring to Brutus and Cassius, the Roman co-conspirators in the death of Julius Caesar. The two "noble Romans" committed suicide when their defeat was a certainty. Horatio's willingness to die with Hamlet illustrates his bravery and fierce loyalty to the Prince. For a more detailed look at Horatio, please click here.

Who is Corambis?
In the Bad Quarto, the edition of Shakespeare's plays that was compiled from memory by actors who had performed the works, Polonius is called Corambis.

Is "nunnery" a euphemism for a brothel in Hamlet?
It is true that "nunnery" had two very different meanings in Tudor England. Modern dictionaries only list one definition of the word, which is, of course, a convent. However, if you look up "nunnery" in a dictionary of archaic words and uses, you will see that "nunnery" did mean both a convent and a brothel in Shakespeare's day. Its meaning as a "brothel" was colloquial, though, even in Tudor England. Despite the use of "nunnery" as "house of ill repute" in Shakespearean England, there can be no question that Hamlet is referring to the standard definition of the word – a house of meditation for women who have devoted themselves to God. Only by entering a nunnery can Ophelia ensure that she will not procreate and become a breeder of sinners. As is pointed out in the Oxford edition of the play, "The injunction makes it clear that nunnery is not being used here in the sense of "brothel", as it is in "Christ's Tears Over Jerusalem" [by Thomas Nashe], for example, where a nunnery is synonymous with a college of courtesans (Nashe, II. 151-2)." Hamlet is indeed disgusted by the behavior of his mother, and takes his hostility out on innocent Ophelia, but he does not call her a whore in this particular line.

Can you tell me about revenge tragedy as a genre?
The revenge play was a genre popular in the Elizabethan and Jacobean period. Elements common to all revenge tragedy include: a hero who must avenge an evil deed, often encouraged by the apparition of a close friend or relative; scenes of death and mutilation; insanity or feigned insanity; sub-plays; and the violent death of the hero. Seneca, the Roman poet and philosopher, is accepted to be the father of such revenge tragedy, and a tremendous influence on Shakespeare. Thomas Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy, written in 1592, is credited with reviving the Senecan revenge drama and it spawned many other revenge plays, such as Marlowe's The Jew of Malta, Webster's The Duchess of Malfi, the Ur-Hamlet (see "Sources" section), and Shakespeare's own Titus Andronicus, in addition to Hamlet.

In Hamlet's third soliloquy, is it "disprized", or "despised love"? I have seen and heard both.
The First Folio edition of the play has "dispriz'd" (under-valued) while Q2 has despis'd. Most critics use Q2.

Does Hamlet appear as a martyr figure (or even Christ figure) in his final scene?
Yes, Hamlet does appear as a martyr in the final scene, because he has saved the soul of Denmark by giving up his own life and choosing an honest leader:

O, I die, Horatio;
The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit:
I cannot live to hear the news from England;
But I do prophesy the election lights
On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice;
So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less,
Which have solicited. The rest is silence. (5.2.345-6).

The final words of Jesus ("It is finished") and Hamlet ("The rest is silence") are similar, and Horatio beckoning the angels to carry Hamlet to rest reminds us of another biblical passage:

And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. ("Bible, King James Version", John.20)

I would also say that Hamlet becomes Christ-like, only in the very general sense that through his suffering his people are saved. Keep in mind that, unlike Jesus, Hamlet's foremost intention was not to save his people; their redemption was an indirect bonus. His unsavory actions throughout the play have made it impossible for Hamlet to be equated with Christ in any more specific way, and, unlike the crucifixion (and, of course, resurrection) of Christ, which is center of Christianity, Hamlet's death is not the center of the play. It is actually anticlimactic - Hamlet becomes one of the "casual slaughters" reported by Horatio.

What types of love can be found in Hamlet?
Although love fails often in Hamlet, there is much love in the play. Ophelia loves Hamlet, Gertrude loves Hamlet, and despite his anger, Hamlet loves Gertrude. Hamlet also loves his father dearly, and this love prompts, in part, his desire for revenge. There is also love between friends, as seen in the relationship between Hamlet and Horatio.

Can you tell me about the blood imagery in Hamlet?
Blood is not really one of the primary motifs in Hamlet, as it is in Macbeth. Rather imagery of disease and rot permeate the play. Here are but a few examples:

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. (1.4.100)

It will but skin and film the ulcerous place,
Whilst rank corruption, mining all within,
Infects unseen. (3.4.151)

How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable,
Seem to me all the uses of this world!
Fie on't! ah fie! 'tis an unweeded garden,
That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature
Possess it merely. (1.2.135)

Make you a wholesome answer; my wit's diseased: but, sir, such answer as I can make, you shall command; or, rather, as you say, my mother: therefore no more, but to the matter: my mother, you say, -- (3.2.315)

If the imagery in Hamlet interests you, the book you want to read is Shakespeare's Imagery and What it Tells Us, by Caroline Spurgeon.

What is the play within the play in Hamlet?
The play presented within Hamlet is called "The Murder of Gonzago." The plot of this sub-play closely resembles the actual murder of Hamlet's father, and its primary function is to trap Claudius into revealing his guilt. This is why he also refers to the play as "The Mousetrap." Hamlet's trap works, and a distraught Claudius leaves the play before it is finished.

How does the "poor Yorick" speech fit in with the rest of Hamlet?
Hamlet's depression prompts him to discuss death and nothingness whenever possible. Seeing the skull of the court jester that he so fondly remembered just reminds Hamlet further of how "the dust is earth" and how we will soon be mixed with that earth in our graves. Even "Imperial Caesar" turns to dust in the end.

How many soliloquies does Hamlet deliver?
Hamlet has seven major soliloquies:

"O that this too too sullied flesh would melt" (1.2.129-159)
"O all you host of heaven! O earth! what else?" (1.5.92-111)
"O what a rogue and peasant slave am I!" (2.2.549-607)
"To be, or not to be, that is the question" (3.1.56-89)
"Tis now the very witching time of night" (3.3.380-392)
"Now might I do it pat, now a' is a-praying" (3.3.73-96)
"How all occasions do inform against me" (4.4.32-66)

For a detailed analysis of Hamlet's soliloquies, complete with in-depth annotation, be sure to read my article on About.com: Hamlet's Soliloquies (Part 1).

Do you pronounce the "s" in Fortinbras?
Yes, you do pronounce the "s" at the end.

How would you describe the revenge code in the play?
The code of revenge is what causes Hamlet most of his grief. The revenge code -- the basis of all revenge plays -- is the set of rules or principles that make it necessary for one of the characters in the play to seek retribution and avenge an evil through a series of bloody acts. Hamlet's soliloquy in Act 4 is his final contemplation of this revenge code that has troubled him so throughout the play.